Asian man convicted in BD3,000 phone scam in Bahrain

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Court of Appeals has sentenced an Asian man to three years in Bahrain prison after he participated in a fraudulent scheme, along with an accomplice, to deceive and defraud an individual out of over BD3,000 through a fake phone call aimed at obtaining his bank card information.

The victim received a phone call requesting that he update his banking information by providing details through an electronic link. Upon opening the link, he was prompted to click on it, after which he received a message asking him to enter a series of numbers to secure his data.

After entering the secret codes, the victim received a bank message confirming the withdrawal of BD3,000 from his account in multiple transactions. It was then that he realised he had fallen victim to a fraudulent operation aimed at stealing his money. He promptly reported the incident to the E-crimes Combat Department.

Subsequent investigations traced the operation and tracked the flow of the misappropriated amount until it reached the hands of another individual who received the funds from a financial exchange and proceeded to transfer the money abroad. Through the security cameras, the suspect was apprehended.

The investigations revealed that he and an unidentified accomplice outside Bahrain were involved in defrauding victims by offering to transfer money in exchange for agreed-upon commissions and fees.